With modern Marvel titles like Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man expanding their clout into the gaming realm, it is easy to forget excellent games that weren't as well received their first time around. Throughout the years, there have been a host of games based on Marvel Comics and movies that are often overlooked.
Whether it was movie tie-ins like X-Men Origins: Wolverine or early computer games like Howard the Duck: Adventure on Volcano Island, some of Marvel's best video games are sadly forgotten. Though they have produced a plethora of excellent games, only the best are worth a second look.
Howard The Duck: Adventure On Volcano Island (1986)
Long before Marvel was the hitmaker that they are today, one of their earliest forays into the world of cinema was the notably terrible Howard the Duck film. Less known than the movie itself was a movie tie-in game that saw the titular avian hero attempt to save his friends after they were taken captive on Volcano Island.
Landing on the Commodore 64, the platforming action game featured beautiful graphics that showed off what the home computer could do in the realm of gaming. Though it was criticized for being only 4 levels long, it was still a fun and challenging game. Unfortunately, its association with the legendary stinker of a movie doomed it from the outset.
Ghost Rider (2007)
The 2007 Ghost Rider film was met with a lukewarm response from fans, and its lack of success kneecapped a very good movie tie-in game. The hack-and-slash epic casts the player as Ghost Rider who does battle with Mephisto in order to save his soul.
The game deviated from the movie's plot and even included side characters like Blade. Taking a cue from some of the best hack-and-slash games of all time, Ghost Rider was a fast-paced action-fest that never got stale. Coming as the Spirit of Vengeance's only full-time foray into video games, the 2007 release was sadly overlooked.
The Incredible Hulk (1994)
The 16-Bit era was a boom period for Marvel video games, and yet some amazing titles slipped by unnoticed. The Incredible Hulk sees the emerald monster battle his way through legions of troops in order to get to The Leader.
The beat-em-up platformer used the Hulk mythos in a clever way which sees him start in a "Hulked-out" state that slowly declines as the player sustains damage. Eventually, the player can be depleted down to his Bruce Banner form where he is largely defenseless. The intuitive nature of the game perfectly suits the Hulk character, and it makes for a rare title worth seeking out.
X-Men: Wolverine's Rage (2001)
From the outset, it was clear that Wolverine was one of the best X-Men characters of all time, and it was only natural for him to land his own video game titles. X-Men: Wolverine's Rage was a Gameboy Color exclusive that saw the clawed warrior battle his way towards Lady Deathstrike who has created a device to melt his adamantium skeleton.
To counteract Wolverine's healing factor, the game makes the levels a speed run, and the added challenge keeps the game fresh. Side-scrolling beat-em-ups were the perfect style for Marvel games and Wolverine's Rage didn't disappoint, even if it didn't get the attention it deserved.
Captain America And The Avengers (1991)
Marvel has always had great success in arcades, and Captain America and The Avengers was just another example of their domination. Cap assembles his team of Avengers as they punch their way through hordes of enemies to get to Red Skull.
Capable of supporting up to four players, the original game featured a host of familiar Avengers in action that was fluid and fun. Though overshadowed by more famous titles, the game is still one of the best SNES games of all time.
Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace (2001)
The third in a series of successful Spider-Man games on the Gameboy Advance, Mysterio's Menace was one of Marvel's best handheld titles. The scarlet-clad wall-crawler scours the city in search of Mysterio while battling his way through his most famous enemies.
The web mechanics were quite fun to use, and the beat-em-up controls never felt stale or repetitive. The game offered the perfect level of challenge without being too easy or too hard, and it was the usual pick-up-and-play style of most Gameboy classics. Even though it was similar to the other two games, Mysterio's Menace was just as good as its predecessors.
The Punisher (2004)
Marvel games are usually family-friendly, but it was only fitting that their greatest anti-hero would have a game that was as dark as he is. The tie-in game from the movie The Punisher cranked the violence up to 11 and saw Frank Castle torture and murder his way through a host of Mafiosos and villains.
Though some criticized the game for being a bit repetitive, the over-the-top action was one of its biggest selling points. While the film that it was loosely based on has mostly been lost to time, the game stands as a testament to the almost unlimited possibilities of Marvel's video game outings.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
While Wolverine had starred in his fair share of 2D side-scrollers in his day, X-Men Origins: Wolverine saw him get the hack-and-slash game he always deserved. Taking the plot from the movie of the same name, Wolverine stalks the globe looking for the people who made him who he is.
Using every aspect of Wolverine's powers in the game, he is capable of sensing traps and going into a rage mode which makes him more powerful. The game was known for its graphic nature, and the overall experience was just what Marvel fans were looking for in a Wolverine game. The movie tanked, but the game has since become a cult classic.
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (2005)
Most Marvel games up to that point had been linear in nature, but The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction allowed players to explore an open-world environment. Controlling the titular Hulk, players attempt to assemble a machine that can control Banner's dark psyche.
Side missions add another layer to the game and the player can upgrade the Hulk with new moves and abilities. Though it didn't get the attention that its predecessor did, many fans have come to view it as a pinnacle in the Marvel gaming catalog.
X-Men 2: Clone Wars (1995)
Unlike most other Marvel games which were somewhat based on the legacy of whatever character was starring, X-Men 2: Clone Wars took its story straight from the newest comic book arc at the time. Learning of the sentinel cloning device, the X-Men are dispatched to stop a deadly virus from spreading to different planets.
The controls were simple and fluid, and it relied on the side-scrolling beat-em-up style that worked so well on the Sega Genesis. The game offered a range of playable characters, including Magneto, and each character had special mutant attacks which was unique to them. Even though it was dwarfed by its much more successful predecessor, X-Men 2 is still one of the best games to feature the eponymous heroes.